Yes, I tend to write about motherhood. A lot. Why? I was/am a stay-at-home mom who homeschooled her children so, writing aside, that’s what I know best. Being the youngest of eight children, as my readers already know, has also lent me untold insights to mother love and wisdom at its finest. That is in the trenches. Here we go!

Motherhood is all about learning to let go. From the moment we find out we’re pregnant, our lives start shifting away from just us. Our bodies make space for new life, our schedules change–like it or not–and suddenly, we’re living for someone else. But as our kids grow, the biggest challenge isn’t just making sacrifices—it’s stepping back so they can shine.

Being a mom means guiding, loving, and protecting, but it doesn’t mean shaping our children into mini versions of ourselves. Heaven forbid! I want better for my children. Our job isn’t to control every outcome; it’s to help them discover their own path. Sometimes, that means putting aside our own expectations and simply cheering them on. The world tells us success is about personal achievement, but love—real, deep, unconditional love—means being happy when someone else gets the spotlight.

In the daily grind of motherhood, dying to self often looks like the little things—waking up early to pack lunches, listening when we’d rather give advice, or offering a prayer instead of panicking. The hardest part, though, is not needing credit. A mom’s love isn’t about being seen; it’s about making sure her kids feel seen. Real love isn’t about competition. It’s about lifting others up without looking for recognition.

This same thankless routine that isn’t really thankless at all, carries on throughout our children’s lives. Adult kids need parents. They rely upon us to be that sounding board the world often denies it’s potential victims. But once again, our job as a parent, as a steward, is to guide and support and to be honest when asked unless red lights and sirens demand we speak out of pure charity.

This idea goes beyond parenting. Our lives aren’t just for us; they’re part of something bigger. Everything we have—our talents, time, and even our bodies—are gifts to be used with purpose. When we stop trying to control everything and instead trust in a bigger plan, we find real peace. Man proposes; God disposes!

Letting go doesn’t mean losing yourself, however. It means opening your hands and watching something beautiful grow, to include oneself, and often in a direction we never anticipated. God’s ways aren’t our ways and thank the Lord for that. The greatest joy isn’t in holding on—it’s in knowing you’ve helped someone else take flight. And when we see our kids stepping confidently into their own futures, we realize that letting go isn’t a loss at all. It’s the most powerful act of love.

In my household, there’s an artistic dynamo who has deigned to sublimate a young man’s typical habits – girlfriend, guys night out, drinking, partying – to focus on a singular goal. A music career. That choice was a shocker for certain people in this household who shall remain nameless, but honestly, granting our son the liberty to chisel the future he wants while offering a safe haven has been a godsend blessing. My unconventional creative projects have received nothing but support from my son and, without that, I doubt I’d be writing the essay. That father and son bond that often goes the way of blighted desires has done nothing but grow, transforming both while giving my husband yet another career to claim on his unwieldy resume. Sound Engineer! Who’d have thought? Not me. Not my husband. And not our son or his two sisters until infinite potentiality gave way to reality. God’s ways in action!

Surprisingly, or maybe not, three of my Clean/Christian romantic suspense thrillers feature a mother and son at the core.

Make what you will of that. I have another one with a similar makeup that’s nearly completed. Hmmm. I only thought of that right now. Go figure but maybe God is trying to tell me something. I’m on the right course maybe? I sure hope so!

In the meantime, I have another mother/son series in the works. This CLEAN, creepy, cozy adventure is not quite named yet. We’ll see. Manassas Mayhem–I’m open for ideas–will feature cold case murders, present-day copycats, blackmail, ghost lore, and a shock of shockers, a mother and son team. This duo works together to solve crime in the not-sleepy-small and majorly musical town of Manassas, VA while providing the mutual support necessary to break past the slings and arrows of commercialism within the music industry. Breaking past the barriers of anxiety & depression that often magnify with age is a main theme as that’s my theme. It ain’t over until it’s over!

I’ll keep you posted.

God bless :^)